Djokovic won the one major that had previously eluded him, overcoming a slow start to defeat Andy Murray in 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 for his first career French Open title.
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Don’t be surprised if Djokovic overtakes Federer’s record 17 Slams, as it’s doubtful if Switzerland’s favourite son will ever win another Slam.
By reaching his first final at Roland Garros, something he never imagined was possible until he found his feet on clay past year, Murray equalled Fred Perry once more by appearing in his 10th slam final.
With Murray serving at 4-1 down, Djokovic brought up two break points when he scrambled to reach a drop shot from the Scot and then sent it back at an acute angle beyond the reach of his opponent. I really felt like I played on a high quality and putting a lot of pressure on Andy’s serves and just trying to hang in there.’And reveals a unusual feeling: ‘When I broke him the second time and I got to 5-2 in the fourth, I just started laughing.
Murray fought desperately in the fourth set to get some momentum back, but the large number of unforced errors he was committing ultimately came back to bite him.
Djokovic won’t be thinking about defending his crown at the All England Club just yet.
Djokovic broke Murray to love in the first game.
Murray was asked if he would relish the chance to play Djokovic at Wimbledon, which begins in three weeks’ time. However, Djokovic responded by controlling the match thereafter. “What he has achieved the last 12 months is phenomenal, winning all four slams in the same year is an incredible achievement”.
Then there was his lack of success through years of trying, despite his Grand Slam victories in NY and Wimbledon and repeated finals in Australia.
Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic have exchanged breaks of serve in the first two games of the French Open final.
“I was a little bit unlucky on that break point because he got a bad, bad bounce on that break point”, Murray said. “Perhaps the greatest moment of my career”. “It was flawless tennis”, said Djokovic.
“I didn’t serve particularly well after the first set, which can be a factor against him as one of the best returners”, Murray explained. He played nearly flawlessly on his first serves, as he posted four aces and won 14 of his 19 points.
When Murray sent a backhand into the net on a third match point, Djokovic fell to the court on his back. Murray has an edge in one scenario: When he’s lobbing the ball and Djokovic is smashing it. A first-serve percentage of a fraction over 50 was never going to be good enough.
Murray blasted a powerful serve down the middle, which was called a fault.
“He’s there, for sure one of the best now”, said Marian Vajda, Djokovic’s co-coach with Boris Becker, one of the many stars of the sport who never won the French Open.
Djokovic told a TV interviewer that he is feeling “a lot of emotion” before the “very important match”.
Murray said he had not been surprised that Djokovic had the majority of the support. Federer also lost four, but interrupted that streak with a win in 2009.
After such an emotional win, the world number one thanked the fans who had serenaded him with chants of “No-le, No-le, No-le, No-le” throughout the three-hour battle by recreating one of the most famous celebrations seen at Roland Garros.
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First there was the presence of Rafael Nadal, who had taken a grip on clay, and Roland Garros in particular, since he stepped as a teenager onto Philippe Chatrier to win the first of nine titles.
